• More than €350,000 invested in the development of Irish endurance athletes since 2009 through Marathon Mission.

• Dublin Marathon Group to once again host the 2026 Irish National Marathon Championships as part of the Irish Life Dublin Marathon, reinforcing its commitment to athlete development, championship prize funds and high-performance marathon competition.

   

The Dublin Marathon Group (DMG) is continuing its long-standing support of Irish endurance running through Marathon Mission, with the 2026 Irish National Marathon Championships once again taking place within the Irish Life Dublin Marathon on Sunday, 25 October 2026.

As a not-for-profit organisation, the Dublin Marathon Group believes the success of its events should create a lasting legacy beyond race day. Marathon Mission is one of the ways the Group supports the future of the sport, developing endurance athletes, strengthening domestic marathon competition and supporting Ireland’s high-performance pathway.

Established in 2009, Marathon Mission is the Dublin Marathon Group’s high-performance athlete support programme. Through a combination of direct athlete bursaries, significant financial support provided to Athletics Ireland’s Endurance High Performance Programme, National Marathon Championship prize funds and targeted performance incentives, Marathon Mission supports Ireland’s leading endurance athletes at every stage of the high-performance pathway.

The programme helps athletes access opportunities such as altitude training camps, specialist coaching, international competition and high-performance training environments, while also rewarding excellence through the Irish National Marathon Championships and creating greater opportunities for Irish athletes to compete on home soil.

Since its launch, Marathon Mission has invested more than €350,000 in the development of Irish endurance athletes. In 2025, Marathon Mission financial support included:

• €35,000 invested in the Individual and Team Irish Prize Fund at the Irish National Marathon Championships.
• A further €27,000 contributed to Athletics Ireland’s Endurance High Performance Programme, supporting the continued development of Ireland’s leading endurance athletes.
• An Irish-only performance bonus, encouraging Ireland’s leading endurance athletes to compete in the Irish Life Dublin Marathon and National Marathon Championships.

With preparations now underway for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, Marathon Mission will continue to play an important role in supporting Irish endurance athletes as they pursue international success.

Seán Ó Riain, Chief Executive of Dublin Marathon Group, said:

“As a not-for-profit organisation, we believe the success of our events should create a lasting legacy beyond race day. Marathon Mission reflects that commitment, we are creating opportunities for Ireland’s leading endurance athletes to develop, compete and succeed on the international stage.

We’re proud that the success of our events enables us to reinvest in the future of the sport while strengthening the Irish National Marathon Championships and inspiring the next generation of endurance athletes.”

Athletics Ireland Performance Endurance Lead Mark Kenneally said:

“Marathon Mission has been instrumental in supporting Ireland’s top endurance athletes over many years. The combination of financial backing and performance incentives allows athletes to fully commit to their preparation and compete at the highest level. As we look towards Olympic qualification, this type of sustained support is more important than ever in helping Irish athletes reach their full potential.”

Hamish Adams, Chief Executive of Athletics Ireland, said:

“Athletics Ireland extends its sincere thanks to the Dublin Marathon organisers and all involved in Marathon Mission for their continued commitment to supporting Irish endurance performance”.

The announcement follows the recent publication of Athletics Ireland’s 2026 National Endurance Group, which features a number of leading distance athletes and marathoners including Fionnuala McCormack, Ava Crean, David McGlynn, Paul O’Donnell, and Ryan Creech.